Summary
MCP-for-Stata: Command injection via logfilename parameter in Stata command wrapper
The log_file_name parameter in the stata_do API and CLI is directly interpolated into a Stata command string without sanitization. The security guard (GuardValidator) only scans the do-file content but does not validate this parameter. An attacker can inject arbitrary Stata commands (including shell, python, erase, etc.) by crafting a malicious log_file_name containing quotes, newlines, or Stata command separators.
Details
In src/stata_mcp/stata/stata_do/do.py, both _execute_unix_like and _execute_windows construct a Stata command string using Python f-strings:
commands = f"""
capture log close
{self.generate_log_command(log_file, is_replace)}
...
do "{dofile_path}"
...
"""
The generate_log_command method returns:
log_cmd = f'log using "{log_file.as_posix()}", {replace_clause} {log_type} name({log_type}_log)'
Where log_file is constructed from user-supplied log_name:
def generate_log_file(self, log_name: str, extension='log'):
return self.log_file_path / f"{log_name}.{extension}"
The log_name parameter comes directly from user input (via MCP tool stata_do or CLI stata-mcp tool do) without any validation. Since the path is embedded inside double quotes in a Stata command string, an attacker can break out of the string context and inject arbitrary commands.
Additionally, generate_log_file does not prevent path traversal via log_name, allowing arbitrary file write outside the intended log directory.
Proof of Concept
When calling stata_do via MCP tool with:
{
"dofile_path": "test.do",
"log_file_name": "'; shell echo pwned > /tmp/pwned.txt; '"
}
The generated Stata commands become:
log using "<log_dir>/'; shell echo pwned > /tmp/pwned.txt; '.log", replace text name(text_log)
Stata interprets this as multiple commands, with shell echo pwned > /tmp/pwned.txt; executed as an arbitrary shell command.
Remediation / Fix
- Apply strict allowlist validation to
log_name(only alphanumeric, underscore, dot, hyphen; max 128 chars) - Resolve and verify the constructed log path remains within the intended log directory
- Consider generating safe internal filenames (e.g., UUIDs) instead of accepting user-defined log names for command construction
- Apply similar sanitization to
dofile_pathbefore embedding it into Stata command strings
References
- Issue: #74
- Fix commit: https://github.com/SepineTam/stata-mcp/commit/e6f945941ae0c7cf5e74a428e0b3dc82b396382f
Impact
- Remote Code Execution via
shellcommand injection - Arbitrary file write/overwrite via path traversal in
log_name - Complete bypass of the security guard, as the guard only validates do-file content, not wrapper parameters
Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command. Typical impact: arbitrary command execution in the application's environment.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-47708? CVE-2026-47708 is a critical-severity command injection vulnerability in stata-mcp (pip), affecting versions < 1.17.3. It is fixed in 1.17.3. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.
- Which versions of stata-mcp are affected by CVE-2026-47708? stata-mcp (pip) versions < 1.17.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-47708? Yes. CVE-2026-47708 is fixed in 1.17.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-47708 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-47708 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-47708 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-47708? Upgrade
stata-mcpto 1.17.3 or later.